Effect of stay in hospital and oral chemotherapy on the antibiotic sensitivity of bowel coliforms

The effects of oral chemotherapy and stay in hospital on the antibiotic resistance patterns of faecal coliform flora were studied. The coliform flora of 64% of 25 patients who were not receiving antibiotics was sensitive to all drugs tested. Hospitalization alone did not affect this proportion. The administration of tetracycline or ampicillin to patients, whether at home or in hospital, significantly increased the percentage of resistant bowel coliforms. Tetracycline showed a significantly greater effect than ampicillin. There was no significant increase in the percentage of patients with resistant flora after treatment with amoxycillin.